According to a Gallup article published July 10, 2024, titled “42% of Employee Turnover Is Preventable, but Often Ignored,” management plays a key role in employee retention. The article highlights that 36% of employees leave without ever voicing their dissatisfaction—often because managers don’t take the time to engage in proactive communication.

Even more eye-opening, 45% of employees who left reported that no one had checked in with them about job satisfaction or future goals in the three months prior to their departure.

Taking just a few minutes every week to check in with each employee can be a game-changer. While it’s easy to say, “I’m too busy,” the truth is, not checking in can leave you even busier—trying to cover multiple positions and train replacements after someone quits.

Asking the right questions can open the door to connection and give employees a reason to stay, grow, and contribute their best. Try starting with a few of these:
•    “How are you feeling about your work lately?”
•    “What part of your job energizes you most? What drains you?”
•    “What’s one thing you wish you could change about your day-to-day responsibilities?”
•    “Do you feel like your work is appreciated here?”
•    “Where do you see yourself in six months to a year? How can we help you get there?”
•    “Is there anything we could do to make this a better place to work?”

With the rate of employee turnover today, you can’t afford to overlook the simple but powerful impact of regular, intentional conversations. When employees feel seen, heard, and valued, they’re far more likely to stay committed and engaged. 

Proactive communication isn't just about preventing turnover—it’s about building a workplace where people thrive. Take the time to connect before someone decides to disconnect. It might be the most important few minutes of your week.

This is such an important topic, and we have been studying all aspects of employee retention in the Virtual Practice Management Institute the past couple of months.  The cost of replacing an employee is thousands of dollars in time and training not to mention the stress on those in the practice. The cost of proactive communication is “Free” which will you choose?

In the context of patient service, “conflict resolution” is nothing more than realizing you have a responsibility to understand and deal with your patient’s problem.

There is an art to patient service recovery.  The word “recovery” means to return to normal – to get things back in balance.

Problems exist when the patient says they do, anytime a patient is upset, dismayed, angered or disappointed.  What constitutes a disappointment for one patient can be absolutely “no problem” for another.  No matter.  You can’t wish a problem away because it is something no reasonable person would be upset about, or because it isn’t your fault, or it is not your doctors’ fault, or even because the patient made the mistake.  If the patient thinks it is a problem, it’s a PROBLEM.

Being a Fantastic Fixer involves taking thoughtful positive actions that will lead a disappointed patient back to a state of satisfaction with you and your doctor.  Healing injured patient feelings requires sensitivity to their needs, wants, and expectations.  

Once the problem is identified, there are six steps you can use to fix the problem.  NOT ALL PROBLEMS REQUIRE EACH OF THESE STEPS.

1.    Apologize.  It does not matter who is a fault.  Patients want someone to acknowledge that a problem occurred and show concern for their disappointment.  Saying “I am sorry that you have been inconvenienced this way” does not cost a dime, but it buys a barrel of forgiveness.
2.    Listen and empathize.  Treat your patients in a way that shows you care about them as well as their problem.  People have feelings and emotions.  They want the personal side of the transaction acknowledged.
3.    Fix the problem quickly and fairly.  A “fair fix” is one that is delivered with a sense of professional concern.  At the bottom line, patients want what they expected to receive in the first place, and the sooner the better.
4.    Offer atonement.  It is not uncommon for dissatisfied patients to feel injured or put out by a service breakdown.  Often, they will look to you to provide some value-added gesture that says, in a manner appropriate to the problem, “I want to make it up to you.” Starbucks or some other gift cards work great for this.
5.    Keep your promises.  Service recovery is needed because a patient believes a service promise has been broken.  Orthotics are not right, a call back for benefits check has not occurred as promised, or some other promise that was not done.  During the recovery process, you will often need to make new promises.  When you do, be realistic about what you can and cannot deliver.
6.    Follow-up.  Make sure things really were resolved to your patient’s satisfaction.  Do not assume you have fixed the person or the problem.  Check to be sure.

Remember we are all just humans trying to get along and provide great service for our patients.  This takes time, effort and thoughtfulness. Provide group training for the entire staff on this subject because it can either make or break your desire to serve your patients at the highest level.  If you would like an in-office virtual training on this topic, just email me at Tina@toppractices.com.

When staff feel overwhelmed or uncertain, lack of communication can make the situation worse. Transparency from leadership builds trust and helps everyone stay on the same page. Acknowledge the staffing challenges openly, thank your team for their dedication, and let them know your plans to address the situation.

Morning huddles are the perfect place to check in each day to see how everyone is holding up and address the needs of the day, like workload adjustments asking each staff member to share ideas for improved workflow and how they may accomplish the workload together focusing on what is most important to get done for that day, week, etc.

Identify tasks that can be temporarily scaled back, or ones that could be handled by a virtual employee.  Use tools like checklists (one of my favorite tools) to clarify priorities so everyone knows what must get done each day and prevent things from falling through the cracks.

When your short-staffed team puts in the extra effort to keep the practice running smoothly a little appreciation goes a long way in keeping morale up. Recognize individual and team contributions, and don’t wait for big wins to say thank you.

Celebrate small victories—like just getting through the day and being willing to come back tomorrow and do it all again. Verbal praise, handwritten notes, or even a simple team lunch can make your staff feel valued.

While the challenges of being short-handed may feel like the new normal, your ability to adapt and keep morale high will make a huge difference to your staff. When they see that you care about their well-being and are willing to lead through tough times, they are more likely to stay engaged, loyal, and committed to your practice’s success.

The difference in the above salutations is huge.  One is warm and welcoming and the other one is cold.  Which office do you want to go to?  First impressions mean a lot.  You only have one chance to make a first impression.  This is just the beginning in making a great impression on the new patient.

Make sure you get the patient’s name immediately.  Use the patient’s name throughout the conversation.  A name is very personal and by saying their name, the patient becomes more relaxed and feels more at home.  If the patient says their name is Peter, do not call him Pete.  If they introduce themselves as Mr. Smith, then address them as Mr. Smith. 

Do not immediately ask the patient for their insurance information.  This is very impersonal.  Ask them about their medical problem and then tell them they called the right place.  Our doctors are very gentle and see this problem a lot.  Let them know they are in good hands.  One of the reasons why patients cancel their appointments is fear.  Fear of pain, fear of hearing bad news, or fear of a major expense.  Handle these fears on the initial call.  Don’t assume the patient called for an appointment, thus, they will keep it.  You are being tested.  They need to have confidence that they truly did call the right place, even if they were referred. 

Then you can ask for the insurance information or any other personal history.  Explain why you are asking these questions.  Tell them in order to expedite their care, you would like their insurance information.  This way all their benefits will be verified prior to the appointment and they will not have any financial surprises. 

Next, just don’t say goodbye.  End the conversation with, “Again, my name is Nancy and I will be here when you arrive, so if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask me.  I am here to make your appointment extremely comfortable.”

The initial phone conversation could make or break your relationship with the new patient.  Put the patient at ease.  Take the extra time to wow them over the phone.  They might even refer another patient even before they come in for their appointment.

Let’s be honest—staying positive isn’t always easy. It takes effort, especially on days when nothing seems to go right. But it’s absolutely possible. Here are some proven strategies when practiced that can help you keep your attitude on a more positive track, even when life throws a curveball.

1. Cultivate Gratitude

When the going gets tough, take a moment to pause and reflect on what you’re grateful for. We have all heard this, but it is true gratitude has a powerful way of shifting our focus from what’s wrong to what’s right. It doesn’t have to be grand—sometimes, it’s the small things that bring the most comfort. Whether it’s the morning cup of coffee, a supportive coworker, or simply the fact that you have the opportunity to make today better than yesterday, focusing on gratitude can change your perspective.

2. Reframe Your Challenges

Instead of dreading the tasks ahead, try to see them as opportunities for growth. Every challenge we face is a chance to learn something new about ourselves and our capabilities. By looking at challenges as learning experiences, we empower ourselves to approach them with curiosity rather than fear or dread. It’s not about ignoring the difficulties but about finding a way to view them through a lens of positive possibility.

3. Choose Your Words Wisely

Language is powerful, and the words we use shape our thoughts and attitudes. Make a conscious effort to replace negative words with positive ones. This doesn’t mean you have to sugarcoat everything, but rather that you choose to focus on what’s constructive. For instance, instead of saying, “This is too hard,” try, “This is a challenge, but I can figure it out” This simple shift in our language can make a big difference in how we perceive and tackle situations.

4. Distance Yourself from Negativity (This is Important!)

We all know people who seem to thrive on complaining. While it’s important to listen and support others, it’s equally important to protect your own mental space. If you find yourself surrounded by negativity, it’s okay to step back and take a breather. Surrounding yourself with positive influences can help you maintain your own positive attitude.

5. Take a Moment to Breathe

When things start to feel overwhelming, step outside and take a few deep breaths. If you can, kick off your shoes and stand in the grass for a moment of grounding (This works!). Nature has a calming effect, and just a few minutes of fresh air and deep breathing can help you reset and regain your focus. It’s a small but powerful way to bring yourself back to center.

The Power of Choice

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Every day, and in every moment, you get to choose what attitude you bring to work, to your home, and to your life. On difficult days, this choice might be a minute-by-minute decision, but it’s a decision that’s within your control.

Choosing a positive attitude may not always be easy, but with a little practice and some mindful habits, it’s a choice that can lead to a more fulfilling and joyful life.

Here’s to a more positive day, today and every day!

This means we can’t think straight, and we might become anxious and feel the whole world is crumbling down on us.  When this happens, just stop what you are doing, breathe deeply, and start writing.  Write down what you think needs to be done.  Don’t put any emotion into this list, just write everything down.  This is just a plain brain dump.

Now, let’s look at how things are not that bad and with just a few tweaks, your practice will be thriving again. I’m going to simplify things at first and then I am going to make it even simpler.

Let’s say your collections are down 10%. You are bringing in $90,000 in a month but you need to $100,000 to pay all the bills plus bring home a salary.  How do you get the extra 10k and also make sure you continue to hit the mark or surpass it every month? 

Figure Out Your PVR

The first thing you need to do is figure out your PVR, per-visit-revenue. Divide the total money collected over the total number of patient visits from the last six months.  Yes, include all follow-ups.  Let’s say this number is $120. This also means, using the above numbers, you saw 750 patients in a month.  

Now, what happens if you can increase your PVR to $130? Meaning just an extra $10 per patient. That makes your collections $97,500. You are almost there.  Now, how about if you increase your visits by 15 in a month, or 4 a week, to 765 a month? You have now increased your collections to over $100,000 per month.

Let’s take this a little bit further.  You have figured out that a new patient visit is worth $450 to the practice. This is just for the first visit. On the average, you see 80 new patients a month. Just by focusing on getting more new patients (and keeping them too), you increased the number of monthly new patients to 90, which is about two a month. You also kept the total number of patient visits at 750 and your PVR is now $134. Your new monthly collections will be over the 100K mark. In this scenario, you are working the same but making more.  

Let’s simplify this. You need to increase one, two, or three things. Meaning your PVR, new patients, and/or total visits.  If you focus simply on getting more patients, you will end up exhausted and probably burned-out. The goal is to make more, while working less.

Here is a list to help you tweak your systems in order to increase your PVR.

1. Collect all monies due at the time of service. Meaning deductibles, co-payments, co-insurances, and past balances.
2. Learn to get better at selling your services, especially non-covered ones.  Using the above scenario, if you just get 2-3 more patients to purchase your orthotics, you will hit your goal. This is how simple this is.
3. Make sure your billing team is right on point. They should be making calls to the insurance companies and to patients.
4. Missed opportunities. Do you ask about that BAB, big-ass bunion, they have? Is their chronic ingrown due to a severely over-pronated foot type where orthotics or a good pair of shoes might help?
5. This brings to the point, are you providing DME or are you worried about the same and similar? If same and similar is bothering you, just speak to your state association representative, or ask people from the AAPPM how they handle this.  
6. Add an additional key staff member. One of the major problems doctors have is they are understaffed. Even though there is an additional expense, you will be able to see more, make more, without doing more. 

The above list is only a small sample of what can be done, but it will handle most cases. When it comes to getting more new patients, just do one thing immediately. Ask your patients who do they know that might have a foot or ankle issue and that you would love to see more people just like them. 

As you can see, just some simple tweaks, nothing major, can make a huge difference in your practice. It can also turn anxiety into peacefulness.   

Prior to the pandemic, Gallup reported that there were five tactics of teamwork that they call the “5 Cs” – Common purpose, connection, communication, collaboration, and celebration. In order for managers or business owners to have any influence over a group of people and create an engaged team, they need to use their strengths in these areas to influence the team. It is daily engagement in these areas with the people that we work with that will over time make the big difference in how they adapt to the team and become an active, engaged employee.

That old saying, “There is no I in team” is true, but far too often it is just a belief and not a practice. When you are working to develop a group of people to become a great team, they need to know that they are valued. It begins with their first day on the job. The following is from my book “Truths From the Trenches” on creating an “A” team.

Train for Success—Their Success

It’s important that employees have the training and tools they need to be successful in your practice. In a medical office, you’ll never be done with training the staff because the systems and procedures are always changing—especially with the way technology is used in the workplace. When your employees attain their training goals, the practice obtains its goals. Their continued education improves the practice and service you provide to your patients.

It’s easy to assume that your employees understand more than they actually do when they’re being trained, whether it’s their initial job training or if you’re training for a new task. Everyone has a different way of learning, and if you don’t take the time to ask the employee what they understand as you go along, you can only assume that they’ve learned what you meant to teach. And you don’t want to make assumptions.

To avoid that, try coaching them rather than training them. In coaching, you teach them the basics of their job duties first and support that teaching with visual and written protocols. When they’ve learned their basic job tasks, go back and review them from time to time to make sure the basics stick.

From the employee’s perspective, learning new things can be overwhelming. They might be afraid to ask questions or let you know they don’t understand something for fear of seeming inadequate. Start slowly. If they get overwhelmed, they can’t retain the information they need to learn to fulfill their responsibilities. Since the threshold of what a person can learn and retain in one session varies, be sure to discuss this with the trainee, so they can let you know how they’re doing.

Prepare a notebook that contains the pertinent job tasks protocols and include some blank sheets of paper, so they can take notes during their training and refer back to them later. If they get stuck on the job, they can check their notebook for instructions rather than interrupt another employee to re-teach them. When you break down their duties into clear concepts with specific goals to attain, you set them up for success.

Give them praise and appropriate constructive criticism in equal measure as required. Praise is especially important. When it’s necessary to correct, do it in a non-threatening manner. Let them know that your goal is for them to excel in this position, and that it’s necessary for them to learn the job tasks correctly.

Create a job task training timeline that includes the job task(s) to be taught, which week that training will take place, and a regular, weekly time to review their training progress. During this time, the employee can demonstrate that they’ve learned the task. As the employee completes each week’s training goals, new ones are scheduled for the following week. This way, your new hire will understand that you’re invested in their success and want to establish open communications. That will build their trust in you and foster a good working relationship.

Training and coaching take time and patience, but it’s worth it to have happy, successful employees who achieve the goals you’ve set for them.

Develop an Environment for Continued Training and Teamwork

Building a team of any kind—sports, work, family, or community-related—takes work, and the process of keeping your team together and assuring that everyone’s on the same page is an ongoing effort. There are a few key elements that need to be in the mix to develop an A+ team. Be sure to emphasize these key elements:

1. Everyone on the team is expected to lead by example. Great team players don’t wait to see how others on the team perform before they do their part. They jump in feet first, focus on their job tasks, and do the best job they can, so the team will be successful.
2. All team members build relationships with each other and help one another. They take the company’s vision and goals and apply them, not only to their position, but they also find ways to help their fellow team members in order to reach the company goals.
3. Team members hold one another accountable. Everyone makes mistakes and great team players recognize this. But they also know when someone is slacking off and needs a nudge to get back in the game and play by the rules.
4. Great team players have positive, contagious attitudes. Their demeanor is positive and uplifting, which fosters good relationships amongst the team.
5. Great team players are humble. They know they’re a player on the team just like the others. No superstars allowed. They’re open to learning and correction, so the team gets stronger and reaches their goals.

“I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work on such a team. Over the years, my teammates have been amazing, and I’ve always felt privileged to work side-by-side with them. Notice that I said work with them. This is one of the most important factors of successful teams. Each member needs to see that the manager is working hard to meet the goals of the overall practice and for each person who works there. The employees know it takes work to keep everyone moving forward, and they’re willing to do what it takes themselves to help create an A+ team. They’ve seen that work ethic demonstrated by their manager and they feel their manager’s support.”

Creating a team takes time, effort, and a passion for doing it.  If I can help you along your journey of creating a team reach out and let’s talk.

Set Clear Goals:

Begin by defining clear, specific, and achievable short-term and long-term goals. Having a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish will help you prioritize tasks effectively and set time up accordingly. As not to become overwhelmed and defeated before you even begin, break down larger goals into smaller, actionable steps to make them more manageable and trackable.

Prioritize Tasks:

Identify tasks based on their urgency or importance to you put them on a list numbering them from your highest priority down.  Focus on completing high-priority tasks first while delegating, delaying, or eliminating less important ones. This approach helps prevent wasting time on activities that don't align with your goals or contribute to your productivity.

Establish Routines:

Develop consistent daily routines and habits to streamline decision-making processes and optimize your productivity. This one thing has helped me tremendously over the years.  Set aside dedicated time blocks for essential activities such as work, exercise, relaxation, and personal development.  They don’t have to be long even working for 30 minutes helps you accomplish your tasks. Routines provide structure and reduce the mental effort and stress, allowing you to focus your energy on more critical tasks.

Practice Self-Reflection and Adjustment:

Regularly assess your progress, productivity, and time management strategies through self-reflection and evaluation. I do this at the end of each day as I plan for the next day.  Identify areas for improvement, acknowledge successes, and adjust your approach as needed to overcome challenges and optimize your performance.

Cultivate a growth mindset that embraces continuous learning and adaptation to refine your self-management skills over time.  If you haven’t read “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson, I highly suggest you do.  It will help you to realize that even the smallest step towards your goals will get you there and you will become more successful in managing your time.

Just think about it, a day where every one of your interactions is infused with kindness, caring and every one of your actions is filled with purpose. Wow! Such a day can happen it is entirely up to you. Here's how you can make it a reality:

1. Cultivate a Culture of Compassion

Compassion is the cornerstone of healthcare. Encourage your staff to lead with empathy, to listen intently to patients' concerns, and to approach each encounter with kindness. When you foster an environment where everyone feels cared for and valued your staff will do the same.

2. Prioritize Communication

Clear and open communication is vital in all aspects of healthcare and our offices are no exception. Take the time to ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities and encourage feedback from everyone in the practice. When everyone feels heard and understood, collaboration flourishes, leading to better outcomes for both staff and patients.

3. Invest in Well-being

Your staff are your most valuable asset, so it is crucial to prioritize their well-being. Provide opportunities for professional development, offer support on a daily basis, and recognize their hard work and dedication. A happy and healthy team is better equipped to provide the highest level of quality care to your patients.

4. Foster a Positive Environment

A positive work environment can work wonders for morale and productivity. Celebrate successes, no matter how small, and encourage a sense of camaraderie among your staff. A team that supports and uplifts each other is better equipped to handle the challenges that arise in healthcare.

5. Focus on Patient Experience

If your staff are cared for then your patients will be as well. Patients should always be at the center of everything you and your staff do. Strive to make every interaction with your practice a positive one, from the moment they walk through the door to when you say goodbye to them. Take the time to address their concerns, answer their questions, and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve.

6. Embrace Innovation

The field of healthcare is always changing, and embracing innovation can lead to better outcomes for both staff and patients. Whether it's implementing a new EHR, streamlining processes and systems, the entire staff needs to be open to new ideas that can improve the quality of care you provide.

7. Lead by Example

We have all heard we must lead by example. Show your staff what it means to embody compassion, professionalism, and excellence in the office setting. Your actions have the power to inspire them and create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the confines of your practice.

Creating the “best day ever” is possible for you, your staff, and your patients. It requires intention, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. By creating a culture of compassion, prioritizing communication, and well-being, fostering a positive environment, focusing on patient experience, embracing innovation, and leading by example, everyone in the practice can make a profound difference in the lives of those you serve each day and have the “best day ever” experience.

When this happens, it is time to reignite the flame and learn to fall in love with your business all over again. The first thing to do is to go back in time when you loved going to work. Just like reading your old love letters or reminiscing about your first date, revisit your business's origins. Remember the excitement of your very first patient and the thrill of your startup journey. It's a trip down memory lane that will make your heart skip a beat.

Next, it is time to spice things up. Consider bringing on new services or introducing exciting promotions. Then go on a date with your patients and staff. Get to really know them. For your staff, ask them their opinion on how you can make coming to work fun and what fun activities you can implement. Maybe take a day off and take the whole staff bowling and go for pizza afterward. 

For your patients, conduct surveys and gather feedback. Call them after a surgical procedure or send out birthday cards. 

When you start feeling tired, take breaks. Plan and schedule your vacations for the year. Take the necessary time off to reenergize yourself so you can be present for others.

If you feel you don’t know where to begin, seek out a relationship counselor, or in this case, a business coach. When you are in a rut, it is hard to see how to get out of it, but it is a lot easier for someone on the outside to help you get unstuck.

Most importantly have mini celebrations. If you reached a goal, no matter how small, go out and celebrate with your team.

Remember, your business is like a long-term relationship, and it's worth every effort to keep the love alive.

What is a Marketing Mastermind Group?

If you head to the dictionary, the term “Mastermind” is defined as a person with superior intellect. But at Top Practices, we know that we work better together, so we’ve created a group of motivated and creative private practice physicians who band together, leveraging Napoleon Hill’s classic business strategy presented in his title Think and Grow Rich, of striving for excellence through a regular “meeting of minds.”

When we get those minds to meet, their joint brain power forms our Mastermind Marketing Group. And membership allows each individual to brainstorm creative solutions to the common problems and challenges we all face in our podiatry practices. The result? Ideas and innovations that individuals could never imagine on their own. (Not sure what problems are most pressing for your podiatry practice? Take our quick and easy quiz here, to determine the health of your podiatry practice.)

Now, you may be thinking, that all sounds great, but could I really change the way my entire practice—and my life—operates, simply by meeting up with other podiatrists to share our tales of wins and woe? We know, it sounds like a lot to expect from a group of medical professionals. And yet…it really works. But, to understand how and why that’s the case, we’re going to let you peek inside the workings of our Mastermind Marketing Group, so you can understand why hundreds of podiatrists like you are joining…and to learn why you can, too!

Who Can Benefit from a Marketing Mastermind for Podiatrists?

So many people think that a Mastermind Marketing Group is for podiatrists who are farther along in their marketing journey. They envision intense meetings spent fine-tuning a podiatry marketing plan, or addressing the types of problems that face large, super-busy practices. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. You can AND SHOULD join a Marketing Mastermind Group if you want to:

• Be part of a small, closely-connected and supportive network of like-minded professionals.

• Learn and share strategies that help each member move forward, get unstuck, and knock your podiatry marketing numbers out of the ballpark.

• Nail the basics of Top Practices’ Four Pillars of Marketing, including everything from internet and referral marketing for a podiatry practice to database marketing, copywriting, social media strategies and more.

• Get solutions to those questions that have too long gone answered.

• Gain the support of a group that knows what everyone else is going through.

• Start seeing the number and quality of patients you want to see every day.

Remember, trying to “Lone Ranger” marketing your podiatry practice NEVER works. Has it worked yet? Probably not, if you’re still reading this blog post! And you can’t just read a book or watch a video to nail the art of podiatry marketing. In reality, none of us can do this without support and help from other people who are working on and through the same issues…which is exactly what you will find in a Marketing Mastermind group.

But you don’t have to take our word for it. Instead, why not hear from members of our Marketing Mastermind Group, like Dr. Andrew Schneider, a solo practitioner in Houston who says, “Rem Jackson takes the success of each of his doctors very personally, and it shows. I’ll continue to stay a member of Top Practices as my practice continues to expand and grow. That’s because it’s my association with Rem and Top Practices that has led to my growth and expansion.”

Or take what Dr. Dan Shanahan a podiatrist from Township, MI, has to say. He expresses, “My practice is running the best it had ever run, our financials are watched closely, I have the best, most engaged, and the happiest staff I’ve ever had. I have the most confidence I’ve ever had in our delivery of services.”

Now, before we continue, it’s really important that we stop and reflect on  Daniel’s words for a moment. Because successful podiatry marketing should be about building the practice you want to run—not the practice that looks successful to a professional three states over with an entirely different set of goals than your own. And, since one of our top goals here at Top Practices is take to your reality from “private practice is dead” to “I need better sunglasses; the future is so bright,” it’s our mission to help you identify your best path forward. And we do that whether you join a Marketing Mastermind, or take advantage of other services such as our Virtual Practice Management Institute, our ongoing group meetings and workshops, or even our private coaching program.

Of course, you could take advantage of one (or all) of these incredible services, each designed to help your practice thrive and to improve the ways in which you are marketing a podiatry practice. But, if you’re not sure exactly where to start, we’re here to make a case for joining a Marketing Mastermind Group. And here’s why it’s such an effective option.

Why the Top Practices Marketing Mastermind Group Just Works

Are you still on the fence about joining our Mastermind Group? Still not certain how (or if) it really works? Well, here’s a little secret we’re ready to let you in on: the Top Practices Marketing Mastermind Group works because it follows our proven, battle-tested “Four Pillars of Marketing” podiatry marketing plan, a strategy we hinted at earlier that is specifically designed to grow practices just like yours. 

What are those pillars? And why have they proven to be so successful, particularly for private practice podiatrists? Here’s a quick review of the pillars:

1. Web-based marketing, which covers everything from your website, to social media, a professional blog, online videos, review sites, and Google search rankings. It helps you conquer SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, and master Google Analytics to learn what works and what doesn’t, all in the name of becoming more visible when people search the internet for a “podiatrist near me.”

2. Referral marketing addresses the art of receiving direct recommendations or medical referrals from local businesses or from other practitioners outside your specialty—think pediatricians, endocrinologists, and more. In our Marketing Mastermind group, top performers have shared some of their best ideas for earning referrals. And, whether it’s dropping off candy-filled prescription bottles or hosting lunch and learns, these ideas keep you top-of-mind for other doctors, so that you’ll be the first person they think of when a patient comes in with a problem they can’t resolve.

3. Internal marketing uses both customer service and a list you create within your office to continually reach out to the people with whom you already have an established relationship. Using this pillar, you can build additional revenue without the cost of initial patient acquisition. And it keeps you at the top of your patients’ minds, so that they keep coming back again and again.  

4. External marketing can include any external resource available, whether that’s coverage in a newspaper or magazine; an appearance on TV or radio; sponsoring an event; giving a public speech or more. This pillar establishes you—and your practice—as an important community presence, while building brand awareness and appreciation, along with a slew of new patient visits in the office.

Why are these pillars such an effective way to build a podiatry marketing plan? Together, they form the basis of a successful marketing strategy, because they are so comprehensive. In other words, they’re better together…just like the hundreds of podiatrists who join our Marketing Mastermind group. But here’s the deal. You can’t just invest in one or even two of these pillars. Because, to really make a difference in your practice, you need to push forward in all four areas of marketing.

Now, we know that feels daunting—especially if you’re a solo practitioner, trying to do it all on your own. But here’s the thing—if you join our Mastermind group, you won’t be doing it on your own. You’ll gain access to instantly implementable podiatry marketing ideas that cover all four pillars, and that have been proven to be effective for practices just like yours.

Even better? With our Mastermind group, members are not just leading one another. In fact, one of the key reasons that this group works wonders is because it’s guided by our coach—and Top Practices founder—Rem Jackson, who has been helping podiatrists grow their practices since 2007.

During his many years supporting podiatrists, Rem has watched private podiatry practice come under siege, with many continuing to predict its demise. At the same time, he’s supported and served an ever-growing group of doctors who understand that private practice continues to be their path to financial freedom, personal freedom, abundance, and fulfillment.

In fact, by joining the Mastermind Marketing Group, those doctors have been able to transform their offices into the profitable, efficient, and enjoyable practices they desire. Through ongoing support, and by building effective podiatry marketing plans as a unit, these podiatry professionals are filling their reception rooms…and they’re doing so with exactly the kinds of patients they want to see! More than that, this kind of success doesn’t require working around the clock. In fact, so many of our Mastermind doctors have reclaimed their nights and weekends. They’ve been able to stop working for their practice, and instead have shifted to a place where their practice works for them, allowing these members to better serve their patients, lead their staff, and care for their friends and families.

Come Home to our Marketing Mastermind Group

In short, our Marketing Mastermind is the home base for those podiatrists who are willing to do the work of marketing and managing their private practice so that they and their family, their staff and their patients can reap the rewards. And that ‘work’ really works, because all our members openly share their challenges, along with their ineffective and effective strategies. This helps other members learn the podiatry marketing moves they want to make…and those to avoid, so they don’t waste precious time. Plus, the learning happens in a supportive group environment that will still hold you accountable on your journey toward reaching ever-more-inspiring podiatry marketing goals!  In short, the Mastermind group energy is palpable as members learn from each other, build off of each other and set up their practices for real, difference-making growth.

Now, all these benefits come with a catch…the Top Practices Mastermind Group will only work for you as a medical professional if you’re ready to actively participate in and contribute to the group. So, if you’re willing to work, make changes and invest in your practice marketing, reach out to us today and let’s talk about how our Marketing Mastermind Group can work for you!

Not quite ready to rip off the band-aid and start leveling up on your podiatry marketing plan? Here are even more reasons to join us!

8 Reasons to Join Our Marketing Mastermind Group—Today!

1. After an in-depth interview with our coach and founder, Rem Jackson, you will receive a personalized podiatry marketing plan to address the weaknesses in your practice and to build on your practice’s existing strengths.  
2. You’ll get to join monthly “Mindset” calls that will help you set attainable personal and professional goals—and achieve them!
3. Additional calls are available for auditing or for participation.
4. Coach Rem will send you monthly emails for additional inspiration, support and accountability.
5. As a member, you will gain access to the Top Practices ‘Members Only’ content-rich website, filled with detailed ‘how-tos’, inspirational ideas, expert recordings and so much more!
6. Plus, you can email Rem as often as you want—and he’ll respond with guidance and immediately implementable ideas so you can hit the ground running, the very next day!!
7. You even get free gifts, in the form of these valuable library additions: Rem’s “Podiatry Prosperity: How to Market, Manage, and Love Your Practice,” Dr. Peter Wishnie’s “The Podiatry Practice Business Solution” and Tina Del Buono’s “Truths from the Trenches” and Jeff Olson’s “The Slight Edge.”
8. When you become a member of our exclusive group of podiatrists, you gain motivation, accountability, drive—and lifelong friendships!

Here is how Rem Jackson puts it:

“Whatever the mind can conceive and BELIEVE it can achieve.  The Believe part is the toughest.  Conceiving is easy, I can show you the possibilities. The Achieve part is actually the easiest. If my members truly execute and do what we coach them to do… it is impossible for it not to work. It works. 

Believe…each one of us has an internal story about what’s wrong with us. 100% of us. It’s very difficult  -almost impossible to break out of these mental chains. Impossible by yourself. 

But belonging to a group of like-minded people (a Mastermind Group) is a catalyst to activating your ability to believe and to hang in there while the work does its magic.

If you don’t join something of value, like the Top Practices Mastermind Group, I can predict your future with 100% accuracy - it will be what you have now or less.  But if you are ready to conceive and believe with us, I can’t predict your future because it is literally limitless."

All that lies between you and these incredible support tools for marketing a podiatry practice is the simple click of a button or call on a phone. Our Mastermind Marketing Group awaits, with all these benefits…and more! Call Dave Ryan at 717-725-2679, Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Eastern, email him at Dave@TopPractices.com, or fill out our general contact form for information about the many other ways we can support your very unique podiatry practice!

Below are six points to consider when developing your system for scheduling patients and keeping the schedule full each day.

1. Understanding the Reasons:

Often when a patient misses an appointment the question is never asked as to why?  If we do not know why they missed their appointment, we do not know how we can schedule them to successfully keep their appointment. Discuss some common reasons patients miss appointments. This could include forgetfulness, transportation issues, or simply not understanding the importance of the appointment. Recognizing these reasons is crucial for implementing effective solutions.

2. Improve Appointment Reminders:

Ask patients how they would like to be reminded that works successfully for them. Explore ways to enhance your appointment reminder system. Consider implementing a combination of automated text messages, emails, and phone calls. Personalize reminders with the patient's name, date, and time of the appointment.  If at all possible, develop a two-way communication system with your patients as this significantly will reduce no-shows.

3. Educate Patients on the Importance:

This is an important point.  If patients do not think it is a problem missing an appointment, then they will.  Highlight the significance of why they need to attend their follow-up appointment at the close of the previous appointment.  Make sure patients understand that the doctor has set time for them to be seen and when they do not give notice and just “no show” that appointment time is lost and limits other patients who wanted to be seen sooner from being seen.  A well-informed patient is more likely to prioritize their appointments.

4. Flexible Scheduling Options:

Consider offering flexible scheduling options if possible.  Some offices offer later appointments or earlier appointments on certain days.  Many doctors are utilizing telemedicine, Zoom visits as they are easier for some patients to attend when this type of visit would work. When scheduling patients ask what a convenient time for their appointments would be, this helps in them keeping the appointment because they told you when they could make it.

5. Penalty Policies:

While this might not be suitable for all practices, some physicians have successfully implemented penalty policies for frequent no-shows. Make sure to communicate such policies clearly to patients in advance and ensure they understand the consequences.  Highlight your no-show policy in their paperwork as you point it out and explain it to them.

6. Train Staff for Effective Communication:

Empower your office staff with effective communication skills. Ensure they can address patient concerns, provide clear instructions, and answer questions about appointments. A positive and helpful interaction can make patients feel more accountable.

While implementing all of these points will not ensure you have no no-shows taking a proactive approach not only benefits the practice's bottom line but also enhances patient care and satisfaction.

If you have questions or would like help in setting up your office policy on no-shows just email me at Tina@Toppractices.com.

Effective communication and teamwork make a significant difference in patient outcomes and the overall efficiency of your practice. In this post, we will explore essential strategies to keep your team aligned and functioning at a high level of efficiency and success.

One of the most important skills your team needs to possess is “effective communication” as it is the cornerstone of any successful team. Encourage your team to communicate openly and honestly with one another. This includes sharing important patient information, updates on schedules, and any issues or concerns that may arise. Morning huddles are the perfect team meetings to ensure everyone is up to date and on the same page to start the day out right.

Define roles and responsibilities making sure each team member in your practice has a clearly defined role and set of responsibilities. This not only eliminates confusion but also ensures that everyone knows what is expected of them. When each team member understands their role, they can work together more cohesively to provide efficient and effective care to your patients. They see the big picture of the practice and the part that they contribute to making it successful.

I am a big fan of cross-training staff.  This is an excellent way to ensure that your team players can step in when needed. This can help cover unexpected staff absences and maintain a high quality of patient care. When team members understand the roles and responsibilities of their colleagues, they can offer assistance when necessary, preventing disruptions in patient care.

Creating a “Positive Work Environment” is crucial for keeping your team on the same page. When your team feels supported and appreciated, they are more likely to communicate effectively and work together seamlessly. Encourage collaboration, celebrate successes, and provide opportunities for professional growth and development.

Establishing clear objectives and goals for your practice helps your team stay focused and aligned. When everyone understands the practice goals and specific targets, they can work together to achieve them. Regularly review the practice goals with everyone to keep them motivated and on the right path for success. 

Successful practices provide continued training and education for all staff members. When staff continue to learn about podiatry and how to run an efficient and successful practice, they will look for ways they can solve problems and make their practice successful.  

This will not only improve their skills but also keep everyone informed and up to date on best practices. The Virtual Practice Management Institute offers every day continuous training for doctors and their staff. If you would like a tour of our library and find out how membership works just email me for an appointment. 

Your team members are on the front lines of patient care and most operational aspects of your practice. Encourage them to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. Regularly seeking their input can lead to more efficient processes and better patient care. Moreover, it shows your team that their opinions are valued.

Organizing team-building activities can be a fun and effective way to foster camaraderie among your staff. Whether it's a team lunch, or collaborative projects, these activities can help your team bond and work together more cohesively.

Keeping your medical office team on the same page is essential for providing high-quality patient care and maintaining the efficiency of your practice. By implementing these practices and continually fostering teamwork, not only will your team and practice grow and thrive your patients will receive excellent patient care and service. 

Understand Your Expenses and Revenue

The first step to profitability is having a complete understanding of your expenses and revenue streams. This includes not just the obvious fixed costs like rent and utilities, but also hidden costs like depreciation. Additionally, identify and analyze all your revenue streams. Are some more profitable than others? In your practice, you have multiple ways to make money.  There is the traditional income from insurance companies, cash services, DME and products to name a few. You should analyze where most of your money is coming from and focus on maximizing the high-margin activities.

Optimize Operational Efficiency

Reducing operational inefficiencies is a direct route to increasing profitability. Automation tools can be particularly effective in handling repetitive tasks and reducing manual errors. Streamlining operations will not only save time but also significantly cut down costs.

Selling Your Services

The ability to sell your services that your patients need to get the result they are looking for is crucial to have a profitable business. Your practice will grow faster by focusing on getting your patients better.

Focus on Customer Retention

It’s far more cost-effective to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones. Focusing on customer satisfaction and building long-term relationships can go a long way. Happy customers not only continue to buy from you but are also more likely to refer others to your business.

Invest in Marketing Wisely

Effective marketing can bring in a lot of business, but it can also be costly. Opt for strategies that offer a high return on investment (ROI). Digital marketing, for example, allows you to target specific demographics, making your marketing efforts more effective and less costly.

Monitor and Adapt

Finally, it’s important to regularly monitor your performance metrics. This will not only help you stay on track but also allow you to adapt your strategies as needed. Being flexible and willing to pivot can make all the difference in achieving long-term profitability.

In summary, profitability isn't a one-time goal but an ongoing process. It requires consistent efforts across multiple facets of your business—from pricing and operations to customer retention and marketing. With the right strategies and a focused approach, making your business profitable is an attainable feat.

Enhanced Skills and Knowledge

Continuous learning and re-training ensure that your staff stays up-to-date with the latest medical advancements, technologies, and best practices. Share your podiatry magazines with your staff so they can understand what advancements there are in podiatry and what you do as a physician in your practice. This equips them knowledge to perform their roles better, leading to improved patient care and outcomes. 

Increased Job Satisfaction

When employees feel supported and provided with opportunities to grow, they tend to be more satisfied in their jobs. Continuous learning fosters a positive work environment and shows your staff that you value their professional development, which can boost morale and reduce turnover rates.

Efficiency and Productivity

Continuously trained staff are more proficient in their roles, leading to increased productivity and efficiency. As your team becomes more adept at handling tasks, it can result in better patient flow and reduced waiting times, leading to a better patient experience.

Innovation and Problem-Solving

This is an important factor to understand that continuous learning encourages your staff to think critically and innovatively. They may develop new solutions to existing challenges or find ways to streamline processes, leading to increased efficiency and improved patient care. Isn’t this what you really want from the people who work for you?

These are just a few of the benefits of continuous learning and re-training with your staff. They are crucial for the growth, success, and overall well-being of your team and entire practice. By investing in your team's education, you create a more capable and motivated workforce, which ultimately benefits both your organization and the patients you serve.

You don’t have to take your staff to a seminar to provide continuous educational training, you can provide it every day in the privacy of your own practice. If you haven’t checked out Top Practices Virtual Practice Management Institute Library which provides continuous training for you and your staff, you can request a virtual tour just by emailing Tina@Toppractices.com.

1. Online marketing
2. Referral marketing to sources surrounding your practice
3. Internal marketing to your patient base
4. External marketing such as advertising, sponsorships, and broadcast

All are equally important and relevant. Our focus here is Online Marketing.

Why is digital marketing for podiatrists so important? This pillar in marketing your podiatry practice helps you pinpoint and attract new patients, while driving traffic to your website and converting those visits into booked appointments. Even after you’ve booked new appointments, digital campaigns can help you keep in touch with existing patients, preventing turnover and increasing referrals and reactivations, in turn leading to multiple new appointments.

There’s more to digital marketing than signing up for Facebook and Instagram accounts and forgetting they exist. In reality, podiatry online marketing requires dedication and planning…but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Not sure where to begin? Just follow this 24-step online podiatry marketing plan from our experts at Top Practices. Then, if you still need more support once you’re through, reach out to our team for additional guidance and help with marketing and managing your podiatry practice.  

Podiatry Online Marketing: Plan Before Jumping In

Before you begin creating or expanding your practice’s online presence, it’s important to spend some time setting goals and target outcomes. Why is that so crucial? When you begin with the end in mind, your marketing plan becomes much more effective. The following steps should all be conducted before you create a single practice profile or shoot off one new email.

1. Create business goals for your practice 

   What is your practice’s most pressing need right now? Do you need more patients walking in the door? Or, would you prefer self-pay over Medicare visits? Maybe you just want to see patients with specific ailments, such as heel pain, whose visits yield more revenue. Sit down and really think about setting a goal that could make a difference to your business. Then, you can create a podiatry marketing plan that will help you meet that goal.
   
   Your marketing goals should always help you achieve your business goals. Just make sure to get very specific with those targets—use wording such as “I see 15 more heel pain patients each month.” This makes it easier to track your progress and assess whether your marketing efforts are starting to pay off.

2. Be specific and clear about who you want to see

   As we hinted at when helping you set business goals, not every patient visit is equally profitable to your practice or equally rewarding. So, before you start online marketing, stop and think about your practice’s ideal patient. For some podiatrists, a perfect patient will be a busy mom who loves to work out, but heel pain is keeping her away from the gym. Once she comes in and you help her recover, she’ll think of you when her child has an ingrown toenail, or when her husband drops something heavy on his toe. Other practices may prefer patients with fungal toenails, since they’ve invested in treatment lasers. And still other podiatrists will find their ideal visits are with patients whose large bunions require surgery.
   
   Every practice will have a slightly different version of the perfect patient. And that’s just fine. The key lies in identifying the patient who will best support your business goals. Then, craft all your podiatry marketing online to speak directly to those individuals.

3. Stand up and stand out

   There’s just one more planning step to take before you begin marketing your podiatry practice. In today’s interconnected world, patients will see posts and ads from countless other sources like The Good Feet Store, or Dr. Scholl’s Kiosks in Walmart.  So, how can you convince new patients they have to come into your office? The key here is to figure out what makes you different from everyone else.
   
   Maybe you have the best reception room in town, complete with free cappuccinos and a well-stocked snack cart.  Or perhaps you were the first podiatrist in your market to start performing lapiplasty bunion surgery, making you the most experienced provider in the region. Whatever it is that helps you stand out from the crowd—also called your key differentiator—will be crucial to your online podiatry marketing plan. Make it a focus of your posts and campaigns, to help patients understand why they’d be foolish to visit any other medical/non-medical options or even other podiatrists.

Marketing Ideas for Podiatrists: Create Your Roadmap

Now that you’ve highlighted your goals; identified the patients you need to help you meet them; and pin-pointed the key differentiator that will bring those patients through your doors, it’s time to create a marketing plan that’s built around those key elements.

1. Pick your platforms

   It’s impossible to go from zero to sixty when you’re talking podiatry marketing online. If you try to master every digital marketing avenue at once, you are bound to fail. So, when crafting a digital marketing strategy, strategically plan which avenues you want to begin with: will you add a blog to your website? Do you want to start emailing your patients with more regularity? Perhaps you want to become the next big TikTok podiatrist? When crafting your personalized list, there are several factors to consider. First, what is your practice already doing—if you have a blog, and patients mention your posts when they come to the office, that’s something to stick with. But if you’ve asked patients about updates you’ve shared in recent emails, and they have no idea what you’re talking about, maybe this isn’t the best digital marketing platform for your practice.
   
   Also, you have to once again think about your ideal patient before you pick a list of online marketing platforms to work with. If you’re hoping to get that busy mom in the door, Facebook might be a great place to connect with her. But if you prefer to see bunion patients—a population that tends to skew older—an emailed newsletter or detailed blog post might be a better option.  Got your list of platforms ready to go? Now you’re ready to take action!

2. Get your website in fighting shape

   The goal of any online podiatry marketing should be to direct traffic back to your website, where interested patients can contact your office. (Or, better yet, make an appointment—we call this converting a lead in marketing speak.) Of course, prospects are less likely to convert if your website is a mess. So, look it over carefully, making sure it loads well—on a phone and a computer. Check that all your services are up-to-date, and that the content on each page is error-free and easy to read. Need a bit of work on your website? You can speak to Rem Jackson, Top Practices CEO and Founder, who still works personally with every Top Practices member. He will be happy to talk to you in a complimentary consult. Just email Dave Ryan at Dave@TopPractices.com or call him at 717.725.2679 Between 9AM and 5PM Monday -Friday EASTERN and he’ll set it up. The guidance you get in this call will help you cut through all the misunderstanding and confusion about online marketing and websites.

3. Drive traffic with strong CTAs 

   Your online podiatry marketing will only be as strong as your CTA, or call-to-action. This is the part of any social post, blog or email campaign that tells your prospects what they should do next. There are many ways to craft a CTA, but placement will be crucial. Don’t pitch your prospects too early in your digital marketing, before they’ve had the chance to accept your expertise or appreciate your key differentiator. Even better, try to work CTAs seamlessly into your digital content, so patients won’t feel like they’re being sold when they interact with your practice online.

4. Make an offering

   On their own, CTAs can drive traffic to your website. But when they’re combined with a special offer that patients may claim by heading to a landing page on that website? Or by submitting their email address? All of a sudden, conversions are far more likely to happen. Still, not every offer is equally enticing to prospective patients. So, how can you choose the right carrot to dangle?
   
   While every podiatrist is different, many of the doctors in our Top Practices Mastermind Group have had tremendous success when providing free e-books to their patients. This offer is a highly effective marketing idea for podiatrists because it establishes your expertise on a subject, while differentiating you from competitors—you can literally say, “I wrote the book on Heel Pain!” (Not sure how this works? Check out a great example of expertise through e-books here, on one of our top performer’s websites.)

5. Ensure consistency 

   Now that all the pieces are in place to help your online podiatry marketing succeed, it’s important that you start the process—and stick to a regular schedule. Let’s say you’ve decided to write blogs, send out a newsletter, and build an Instagram following. The last thing you want to do is post five blogs in the first week of your campaign, promoting each one on social media and in your newsletter, only to disappear in the weeks to come.
   
   Instead, create a marketing calendar before posting anything, anywhere. How often you update your blog, social media or email list matters less than picking a manageable cadence and sticking to it. And, to create that consistent content calendar, simply take your list of content channels—in this case, your blog, Instagram posts, and emailed newsletter—and create a clear, organized schedule for what you plan to produce for each platform, and when you plan to post that content. Top Practices has developed THE definitive marketing calendar tool that makes conceiving, organizing, planning and posting actually easy.

6. Now, speak to your people

   Finally, it’s time to start actually drafting content. Once again, when you’re writing, make sure to address that ideal patient you conjured earlier in our podiatry marketing plan. Any blog post you write, or social interaction you present, should address the following concerns:  
   
   What interests relate to that patient? What problems are most likely to hold that individual back from doing what she or he loves? How can you help your perfect patient overcome a problem to get back to that preferred interest?
   
   With those questions clearly answered, you can create content that your ideal patient really wants to hear. So, if you’re trying to get that busy mom through the doors of your practice, you’ll now decide to craft a 1000-word blog post on preventing running-related heel pain. And you’ll probably skip the post on healing diabetic foot ulcers…at least for this month. Top Practices has the resources and guidance to show you how to get this content written and posted without you doing it yourself. In fact, we believe that's a poor use of your time. You should always be working at the top of your license doing that which only you can do and delegating everything you can, including this marketing work to others.

7.  Make each post matter  

   People are stingy with their time when it comes to reading through digital content. Make sure your prospective patients find your posts worth reading by providing them with concise, informative and valuable information. Obsess about having interesting subject lines in emails and titles that grab their attention and then jump right into what they are interested in to improve the odds of their getting to your CTA. And be sure to craft content that is your original work, not reposted or repurposed from a competitor’s website or social media feeds. Finally, always proofread your posts before publishing. It will be hard for a prospective patient to accept your expertise if your work is plagued by spelling errors or grammatic inaccuracies.

8.  Be yourself 

   When it comes to online podiatry marketing—especially when you’re engaging with social media—showing authority and medical expertise is crucial. To that end, include useful and accurate medical information in all of your digital content. Craft it with words that a non-physician audience can digest. But make it clear that you know what you’re talking about—this will inspire confidence in your ideal patients, and further urge them to come and see you for medical help when they need it.
   
   At the same time, digital marketing for podiatrists is also about creating human connections with your patients. So, it’s a great idea to show some personality in your online marketing campaigns, whether that means cheering on your favorite sports team or bragging about your child’s latest achievements with your online community.

9.  But keep content relevant 

   Updating your Instagram account with your team’s logo right after a big night’s win? That’s a great idea. Writing a full blog post about the star pitcher’s unfortunate toe injury? That’s an even better idea!  Digital content that’s anchored to current events is likely to feel outdated in a few months so we recommend that you work with marketing ideas for podiatrists that never get stale—we call this evergreen content—as they will keep your website feeling relevant and up-to-date.

10.  Make old posts new again 

    If that last tip has you panicking, don’t worry—updating old blog posts with new information is actually a great way to boost your SEO rankings, all while making sure that your website remains relevant. And don’t think that you have to create unique content for every digital platform on which you maintain a presence.
    
    What do we mean by that? Let’s say you regularly update your blog, but you haven’t found the time to start a patient newsletter. Instead of reinventing the wheel, excerpt valuable content from that old blog you just updated and make it the lead article in your monthly newsletter. Next, take a particularly relevant pull-quote from that same blog, paste it onto a pretty background (you can find a range of templates with a free Canva account) and post the image to your Instagram grid or Facebook page. All of a sudden, you’ve rolled out a fully integrated digital podiatry marketing plan, and all you had to do was update one blog post that was already on your website!

11.  Know when to cut your losses

    While some old blog posts can be salvaged with updates, not all content is worth saving. If your practice website has tons of content, that could slow loading times and cause search engines to lower your Google SEO ranking. A better solution? Go through old site pages and blog posts with a critical eye, deleting or combining content that isn’t generating much traffic to the website.

Social Media-Specific Podiatry Marketing Plan

While the previous tips were relevant to all digital content platforms, these suggestions will focus specifically on strengthening online podiatry marketing through social media.

1. Cross-promotion is key

   Of course, you want to build a following for your social media accounts. So, it’s fine to share those adorable kitten memes every once in a while. But you always have to remember where you started your online podiatry marketing journey—with your business goals—and ask yourself how any update you make can help you achieve those goals.
   
   One great way to make social media work for your business? Use these platforms to meet prospective patients where they’re at. Then direct them back to your practice website.  How can you do that? There are so many different options. Consider promoting your free e-book giveaway on Facebook, then linking the image of your book directly to a signup page on your website. Try using that image of a blog pull quote to direct traffic directly to the full post on your site. Or check out our Top Practices social feed to get some inspiration that works for your particular practice!

2. Make sure to stay engaged

   The beauty of social media is the chance it gives us to directly engage with patients. So, if you aren’t engaging with followers on your social platforms, you’re missing the point of this digital marketing platform. What does effective engagement look like? First, sticking to a regular posting schedule is critical. But that doesn’t go far enough. If followers like or comment on a post or picture, reply back or drop them a heart. You can even give top fans a return follow—just don’t go overboard on this front, as professional social accounts should have a higher number of followers than people or accounts that they follow. On that note…

3.  Be mindful with your likes and follows

   We’re not telling you to be stingy in this arena, just be strategic about the likes and follows given out from your practice pages. Show your local philanthropy by liking pages for important community organizations; expand your audience by joining groups or communities favored by your ideal patients—local running groups are a great place to start. Then, once you join, be sure to maintain a presence, liking contributor’s posts and sharing your own relevant content when appropriate.

Email Marketing for Podiatrists: Simple Dos and Don’t

Now you’ve got social media covered, let’s nail your email marketing efforts. Growing your email list and sending regular updates is one of the best ways to build or maintain a connection with current patients, while showing prospective office visitors what they can expect by choosing you as their podiatrist.

Email marketing still works despite opinions to the contrary and the fact that people’s emails are flooded. They aren’t flooded with good, well-written emails which still get seen, read, and acted on. In fact, we teach our Top Practices members how to market their podiatry practices sending multiple emails in a week. It can be done and when done well is a podiatry practice marketing secret weapon.

1.  Start with a newsletter 

   Always send a monthly newsletter to your patients and prospective patients via email. Use this as an opportunity to greet patients with valuable information—covering podiatry topics as well as other timely subject matters. But also view it as a chance to really relate to your practice community, showcasing practitioners’ personalities while also sharing personal updates. Top Practices makes this easy with our monthly podiatry practice newsletter program in which we do all the work for you and completely customize it to your practice.

2.  Share updates, as well 

   Timely, news-driven emails are also a great way to keep patients up-to-date on important practice information. Did you receive local recognition for your podiatry practice? Has a new office location opened? Are you closed due to inclement weather? Let those who need to know in on the update with a quick email blast!  

3. Boost your open-rates

   Sending out emails with valuable info is worthless if they go unopened. Sadly, a successful email campaign will only enjoy an open-rate hovering around the 20% mark. Yet, some of our top-performing podiatrists enjoy email open rates that hover around the 80% mark. How do they do it? Well, for starters, they make sure that the people on their lists recognize their authority, and gain value from every email sent (no spamming allowed.) But they also put tons of thought and effort into crafting subject lines that demand readers’ attention. What should that look like for your practice emails? Every audience is different, but a key to keep in mind is this: your subject line should make a promise that you keep once patients follow through and open your email.

4. Be brief inside 

   Once you’ve gotten patients to open your emails, you don’t want to lose their attention—or, the privilege of future openings. So, say whatever you have to say as briefly as possible in your emails. And, if you need to expand on the topic, let them choose to read more—and drive traffic to your website—by directing readers to click on an external link for additional, relevant information.

Online Podiatry Marketing: Final Thoughts

While there are many digital marketing ideas for podiatrists to try, one thing is clear: video must be incorporated into your podiatry marketing plan for 2023 and beyond. As one of the online marketing tools with the highest Return on Investment (ROI), it’s essential to add videos on to every digital platform where you have a presence. However, videos only work when they’re done well, so make sure to follow these tips for maximizing conversions with videos.

1. Make videos visually appealing

   When you’re filming, avoid jerky camera motions or distracting back drops. Try to keep a steady view, and eliminate any visual distractions that will detract from the message of your video.  

2. Sound quality matters, too

   Shoot your videos in areas where there’s no background chatter, and where your words will come across loud and clear.

3. Now, make things fun

   One of the reasons why videos are such an effective online podiatry marketing tool is that people like watching them. But that’s only true when your content is engaging and entertaining. To keep your audience’s attention, focus on subject matters that are relevant to your ideal patient. Relax and lean into producing great engaging videos each and every month. You can do this in only one hour each month so you DO have the time to do this. Top Practices teaches its member how to do this in our Marketing Mastermind Group Resources. If you get this right it can add hundreds of new patients to your schedule.

Of course, online podiatry marketing is an involved process. And we get that most podiatrists didn’t devote years to their medical training, only to become part (or full) time marketers. Want to boost your practice’s digital presence while still seeing patients and making it home in time for dinner with the family? That’s where we come into the picture.

Save Time on Marketing and Focus on What You Do Best!

Contact a Top Podiatry Marketing Specialist

We know that owning and effectively managing a podiatry practice is challenging. It’s more than likely that your existing responsibilities are enough to leave you feeling overworked, overwhelmed and under-appreciated. The Top Practices Marketing Mastermind Group led by Rem Jackson teaches you how to take these tasks off your plate, so that you can get back to seeing patients and thriving in your practice. All you have to do is reach out and ask for help!

Excellent systems should be created to meet the objectives of the overall strategic plan and goals of the practice. A podiatry practice will have dozens of systems and subsystems, that need to be created but there are a few that should be top priority to set up and follow.

Internal marketing – All staff should be trained to know what services and products their physician(s) provide.  They need to be able to clearly communicate these to their patients when asked.  This takes having a training program in place for continued education of all practice personnel. The internal marketing system should be generating patient referrals and raising the awareness of the practice services in the community.

Practice financials – Systems to oversee and report the practice's financials are necessary and will make a huge difference on the bottom line. Systems to monitor overhead control, inventory, payroll management, cash flow, and any outstanding debt need to be reviewed and reported on a weekly basis.

Patient financials – Cash services to insurance to collections, all aspects of patient's financial obligations to the practice must be handled in order to receive timely compensation for services while maintaining good relations with patients. This should be a major part of all staff training as it plays a major role in the success of the practice.  Role-playing and having "scripts" for staff when explaining to the patient their financial obligations will ensure staff are successful in their communication with the patients.

Patient service – How can we ensure that we deliver excellent patient service as it is the key to patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is a result of excellent clinical care and great patient service. There are two key elements to pleasing patients, one is to control their experience and making it as positive as possible, and the other is communicating with patients about what to expect at their visit and how the practice is run.  Patient can tell immediately over the phone or when they walk through your door whether you are dedicated to "great patient service" or not.

When creating these systems for your practice, document them in writing step-by-step protocols and develop scripts and training programs to guide staff members in their use. This will put the practice on solid "footing" for excellent operation and successful results.

If you are a member of the Virtual Practice Management Institute there are several modules with templates to guide you in this process. If you would like a free tour of the VPMI library just email me at Tina@toppractices.com.

There are several key factors for any business manager to be successful at their position and we must remember our medical practices are businesses.  Far too often managers will "fail" to meet the mark of their employer's expectation because the job expectations have not been clearly written out or trained on.

Many times, an employer just expects that if one is a manger then they must possess the following important factors that go into the making of great management personnel.  This is not so, they need to be discussed, taught and expectations laid clearly out.

There are many qualities that great managers should possess to be able to fulfill the job expectations that have been set by their employer.  Below are just four of the many.

1. Vision: The manager, who will be interacting with the team needs to understand clearly what the vision is for the practice.  They must know and understand the "big picture" how to convey this daily to the team.  They also must understand how their position and responsibilities fit into the practice/employer's vision.
2. Goals: The manager needs to have the ability to clearly articulate the goals and responsibilities to each team player that they are responsible for through education and expectation. They must be able to help the team players with their personal goals and overall team goals.  They must also have set personal goals for growth as the manager in education and practice production.
3. Focus/Delegation/Management Skills: Management personnel need to possess the ability to focus attention on critical areas or projects that require a manager's leadership.  The ability to delegate to team members effectively to accomplish the needs of the business daily.  They are responsible making sure the team has continual education and understanding of the industry that they work in, to perform to their highest level.
4. Passion/Commitment: Enthusiasm and dedication to the business and the people who work with them is critical for managers. Without it they will not be able lead the team.  You cannot fake "passion and commitment" it must be real and come from the heart.  Great managers possess these attributes, and the team responds with commitment and engagement to their positions.

These four key factors that managers need to be successful need to be cultivated and grown by the physician employer that they work for.  Without the business owner's investment in the manager showing them these same four important factors, it is impossible for them to carry them through and demonstrate them to the rest of the team.

We can help you get back to being a doctor and not a daily troubleshooter. We have the plan and will guide you through it so you can work seamlessly with a manager that loves their job and frees you up from the administrative burdens.

Get Back to Being A Happy, Fulfilled Doctor – No a Forever Problem Fixer

We are dedicated to your success,

Tina Del Buono, PMAC

Slowing down to speed up may seem counterintuitive, but it can actually be a very effective strategy for achieving success. When we're constantly rushing around, trying to get everything done as quickly as possible, we can become overwhelmed, stressed, and burnt out. This can lead to mistakes, missed opportunities, and a lack of progress towards our goals.

By taking the time to slow down and reflect, we can gain clarity of purpose, make better decisions, and tap into our creativity. We can also improve our relationships, our health, and our overall well-being. When we approach our work and our lives with a more thoughtful and deliberate mindset, we become more effective, efficient, and productive.

Of course, slowing down isn't always easy. We live in a world that values speed and productivity, and it can be hard to justify taking a break. However, it's important to remember that taking care of ourselves is essential for achieving our goals in the long run. By setting aside time for reflection, practicing mindfulness, taking breaks, prioritizing self-care, and setting boundaries, we can create more space in our lives for the things that matter most.

Some examples in our podiatry world where we should slow down:

1. In the treatment room. Listening to the patient will prevent mistakes. Don't rush the patient. Listen for what is their main complaint and concern. The best way to speed up is to ask better questions.
2. With our staff. Don't cut them off in mid-sentence. Listening here is as important as listening to your patient. Listening with intent shows you care.
3. Taking the time to train your staff. Training helps with the overall efficiency of the practice.
4. Making sure all patient demographic information is entered correctly. This will prevent claims being rejected.
5. Time for quality meetings. This will set up your weekly action plan. 

Ultimately, slowing down to speed up is about finding the right balance between productivity and self-care. It's about recognizing that we need to take care of ourselves to be our best selves, and that sometimes the best way to move forward is to take a step back and reflect. By embracing this mindset and making it a regular part of our lives, we can achieve more, stress less, and enjoy greater success and fulfillment in all areas of our lives.

Slowing down to speed up may seem counterintuitive, but it can actually be a very effective strategy for achieving success. When we're constantly rushing around, trying to get everything done as quickly as possible, we can become overwhelmed, stressed, and burnt out. This can lead to mistakes, missed opportunities, and a lack of progress towards our goals.

The role of the office manager is multifaceted and whether you have a staff of 1 or 50, one of the most important qualities that needs to be evident in your skill set for your staff to respond in a positive way is communication. I believe that communication is an ongoing skill that we must continue to learn and practice each day.

Tony Robbins said, "To effectively communicate we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others."   

As a manager, if you can just remember this "one thing" each day about communication, that Tony Robbins said, you will be headed in the right direction every time. Take the time when you communicate and think about what you are saying, the actual words, are they clear? Take time to make sure that you understand others and that you are understood. 

Stephen Covey wrote in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" that the fifth habit was "to seek first to understand and then to be understood." This skill is crucial if you want to be successful with the people you lead at work.

Also remember, that as a manager you communicate volumes without even saying a word, you are being watched and your behavior speaks loudly.

The main key to becoming a successful manager is continual education and development of your management skills and communication should be at the top of your list.

For more information on learning to become a better communicator, just email me for a free Zoom session.

Tina Del Buono PMAC

Tina@Toppractices.com